Circular-knitting machine.



W. E, SMITH. CIRCULAR KNITTING MASHINE. APPLICATION FILED 13353.4,

A 1 9 1 w 0 Au D d m m a P 3 SHEET8-SHEET. l.

w. E. SMITH. CIRCULAR KNITTING I H'AGHINE. Arm rumor mum mm. 4, 1m.

Patented Dec; 22,1914.

3 BHEET8SHEET 2.

. nvanitofz W. E. SMITH 0130mm KNITTING mamas; APPLICATION FILED Dan-1,1913.

1,121,681, V Patented Dec.22,1914.

3 BEEBTSY-BHEET 3.

UNITED sT rrEs 'PATENTOFFICE.

.WILLLAM E. SMITH, F MILLTOWN, N EW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO KILBOURNMANUFAC- TUBING conronarron, on NEW NEW JERSEY.

BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 4, 1913. Serial No. 804,723.

To alt-whom it may concern I Be it known that I, VVILLIAM E. SMITH,

'a citizen of the United States, residing at Milltown, in-the countyofMi'ddleseX and State of New Jersey, have invented. new

and useful Improvements in Circular-Knit- 31y invention consists in thenovel features hereinafter described, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings which show several embodiments of the invention,which I have selected for the purpose of illustrating the same, and thesaid invention is fullydisclosed in the following description andclaims.

provide means whereby the gage of the stitches drawn by the 'needlesof acircular knitting machine may be increased to a greater or less extentina'portion of any course or courses without increasing the gageof thestitch drawn' by other needles in the same course or courses.

' The application of my invention 1s very far ieaching in'that it may beused for increas: ing the gage of the stitch drawn by a portion oftheneedles of a circular series, for J the purpose" of facilitating theintroduction of a reinforcing thread, or for accommodating a thicker!yarn in a portion of the stock- 3 5' ing, both Without increasing thelength of the fabric containing the reinforcing or thicker yarn, and myinvention can also -be employed'for the purpose of increasing thegage-of a portion of thestitches in a course or courses beyond theextent necessary to accommodate a reinforcing yarn or a thickeryarnforthe express purpose of making a .portion'of the resulting fabriccontaining such stitches of lncreased gage actually longer and widerthan the-portion of the fabric'formed by the other portions of cor-Jresponding courses, the stitches of which are not increased, in gage,-asfor example, In

the sole portion of a stocking, and in the heel and toe portionsthereof, for-the purpose of, fashioning the stocking to the foot andproviding additional room for the sole, neel, and toe, thereof, inaccordance with the invention of Edward E. Ki1bourn,William E. Smith andIsaac W. Kilbourn covered bv I g of ting Machines; and I do herebydeclare the stitch or stitches The primary object of my invention is toting cylinder and the cam "our former application for Letters Patent ofthe United States, filed Sept. 23, 1909, and g ven Serial No. 509,202.My invention also finds an additional use in that it may be employed forthe purpose 'of increasing'the stitches at any part of the course orcourses or at several different points in a course for any SlfTCl]purpose for which a 0 increased a e ma become desirable. g g y be or Inthe accompanying drawings I have selected for the purpose ofillustrating my invention, several forms of'devices andhave shown thesame in connection with a simple form of circular knitting machine inwhich admitting cylinder carrying the needles is given a rotarymotionwith respect to stat onary knltting cams, and in which the SIIIkGI'S are given a horizontal reciprocatory motion toward and from thecenter of the knitting cylinder, such being a common form of knittingmachine to which my invention is applicable, but it will be understoodthat my invention is also applicable to any form of knitting machine inwhich a relative circular movement between the Imitor cams is providedand in which the sinkers are not given a horizontal reciprocatingmovement or in other words, my invention is applicable to any knittingmachine whatsoever in which the sinkers between the several needles ofthe circular series may be given an independent vertical movement.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents more or lessdiagrammatically so much of a knitting machine as is necessary for aclear understanding of my invention, portions of the figure being shownin sec tion. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic top plan view Patented Dec. 22,1914.

of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a modification shown in Fig. 4.Fig.- 6 is a detail of the'actuating cam and a portion of the series ofsinkers'. Figs/7 and 8 illustrate one form of sinkers which may-advantageously be employed in connection with mv invention showingone-short sinker in Fig.

T andonelong sinker in Fig. 8.

' In carrying out my invention, I provide means. for increasing thegageof certain stitches in a course or-coursesby raising to a greater orless extent the sinkers located adjacent to the needles on which thestitches of increased gage are to be formed, thereby causing the needlesto draw stitches of increased gage between thesinkers so elevated forthis particular purpose.

In the form 'of my invention shown in Figs. land 2., 1 represents theneedle cylinder, 2 represents one of the needles of the circular seriesadapted to reciprocate vertically therein and provided with a nib 3 forengaging the knitting cam 26.- Relative circular movement is providedbetween the needle cylinder and the knitting cam in any desired or usualmanner to effect the vertical movements of the needles for theproduction of a circular course of stitches either by rotating orreciprocating the cylinder with re-' spect to the cam or cams or byrotating or reciprocating the cam or cams with respect to the cylinder.4: represents the sinkers which are located between adjacent needles andare provided "with shoulders 5 for supporting the work, the length orgage-of the stitches being etermined by the distance below the shoulder5, to which the hook of the needle is drawn down by the knitting cam.The sinkers in this instance are shown as provided with horizontallydisposed guiding portions 6 extending inwardly and also outwardly withrespect to the axis of the knitting cylinder, cally disposed portion ofthe sinker, the outwardly extending portion being provided with a'nib 7which is engaged by a horizontal ring 8 provided with a cam groovethere- 1n to engage the nibs 7 and impart the desired horizontalreclprocatory movement to the sinkers, as is usual in knitting machines,

although the nibs.7 and cam ring 8 may be omitted if desired. It will beunderstood that where the cam ring 8 is employed there I will be arelative movement between the cylcylinder. The sinkers adj accnt to theneedles inder and ring corresponding to the. relative movement betweenthe cylinder and the knitting cam which may be accomplished by rotatingor reciprocating the cylinder with respect to the said ring 8 or byrotating or reciprocating the ring with respect to the which are to drawthe stitches of greater or increased gage have their horizontal por'--tions provided in this instance with extensions 9 projecting inwardlytoward the center as shown in Figs. 1' and 8, of the drawings, while thesinkers adjacent to the needles which are to draw the normal stitch atall times are'not provided with such extensions, as shown in' Fig. 7,and as indicated by the dotted line 10 in Fig. 1. Each of thesinkersprovided with the extension 9 is-so arranged as to be capable of slightvertical movement with respect to the needle cylinder 1 and forconvenience in assem-.

. sponding notch of the ordinary sinkers, to

from the main or vert1- bling the parts I prefer to provide the saidsinkers with a notch 11 for engaging the sinker retaining'ring 12 ofincreased ver-= tical width over the width of the correpermit thevertical movement of the sinkers having the inward extending projections9. For convenience of 'manufacture, however,

all of the sinkers may be constructed alike in respect of ,the retainingrecess 11, if desired, as the sinkers which arenot raised, ashereinafter described, will be held in their lowest position by thedownward pull of the needle and of the work. As shown in Fig. 1, Iprovide a vertically movable adjusting ring or-slceve 15 within thecylinder 1 which is preferably se-- cured thereto in any desired manneras by screw 16 engaging a, vertically disposed slot 17 in the sleeve 15so that the sleeve lo'and knitting cylinder 1 will be held againstrelative circular movement while the sleeve is. permitted a. verticalmovement with respect to the cylinder- 1. Vertical movement may beimparted to the sleeve 15 in any desired manner as by means oftheeccentric 18 on a rockshaft 19 mounted in a suitable bearing 20 andprovided with an adjusting lever 21 for example,jas shown in Figs; 1 and2, the adjustment being made either by hand in which case the rock shaft19 may be locked in itsadjusted position by means of a set screw 22, orpreferably the rock shaft will .be operated by the pattern mechanism ofthe diameter thanthe cylinder, the upper end of which engages theinwardly projecting extensions 9 of those sinkers adjacent to theneedles, the stitches of which are to be increased in gage. \Vhentherefore the sleeve 15 is moved upward a greater or less extent thesinkers whose projections 9 overlie the portion 23 of said sleeve willbe correspondingly elevated and the stitches drawn by theadjacentneedles will be increased in gage a greater or less extent correspondingto the amount of movement imparted to the sleeve 15'. In thisconstruction, supposing it to be desired that the stitches of the rearhalf of the stocking corresponding to the highspliced portion, the heelportion, the sole portion, and the toe portion thereof, are to beincreased in gage during the knitting of the corresponding portion ofthe stocking, it is only necessary to provide those needles which knitthe rear half of the stocking with sinkers having inwardly projectingextensions 9 and to operate the adjustingsleeve 15 is immaterial how thesinkers which are not at the desired time and to the desired extent to!secure the results desired. For example, the sleeve 15 canbe elevatedslightly while the high spliced portion above the heel is being knit tofacilitate the insertion of a reinforcing thread in that portion of thestockin? without increasing "the length of the re su ting fabric beyondthat of the corresponding courses. onthe front of the-leg.

\Vhen the. heel is knit the sleeve 15 can be raised to a greater extentto facilitate the insertion of a heavier reinforcing thread, or the useof a still thipkerknitting thread for the production of a heavy heel.When the sole is knit,- the sleeve 15 can be elevated sufficiently topositivelyincrease the length of the fabric beyond the length ofthecorresponding fabric of the top of the foot,

and at the same time topermit a'reinforc ing thread to be inserted or aheavier knit-- ting thread to be used, and in knitting :the

toe the adjustment 0' thesleeve 15 may be. made to facilitate theinsertion of a rainfencingthread of-the desired Weight or the use of aheavier knitting thread. Obviously when the sleeve 15 is in its normalposition,

all the needle'sin the course will draw .the a same length stitches. Ifit is desired for special reasons to increase the gage of one or morestitches at several diiferentpoints in a course, at any stage of theknitting of a stocking and at any position or positions in the.- course,it is only necessary to provide the sinkers adjacent to the needlesformingsuch stitches with the inwardly projecting extensions 9 and thisresult may be accomplished to any desired extent according to thevertical adjustment of the sleeve 15'. V

I 'In Fig.'3'-I,have.sho,ivna slight modification of my invention inwhich "instead of providing the sleeve 15 with an annular.por-. tion-23at the upper end thereof, 1- provide a semi-circular portion 23 which issecured to the cylinder and. adjustable vertically therein, and thisportion '23 may be carried upon a sleeve 15* and verticallyad usted bythe same means as shown 1n Figs. 1 and 2.

or by other means, or the semi-circular portion 23 may be carried by a.half sleeve suitably secured to the cylinder and vertically adjustabletherein. .lVhere the semicircular elevating device 23 is employed, it

to be operated thereby are constructed and -they may either have theshort inner ends 10 as shown in Figs. 3 and 7, or all the sinkers may bemade alike with the inwardly projecting-extensions 9, as the extent ofthe semhcircular portion 93*? will determine and select which of thesinkers are to be raised when. theeIevatingdevice is adjusted verticallIii Figs. 4 and 5 and 6 I have shown another modification of myinvention. In this for!v apparatus instead of raismg will or certain ofsaitl that siiich cam and the knitting cylinder will have the samerelative circular movement with respect to each other as existsbetweenthe cylinder and the knitting cam, and in Figs. 4 and 5 -'I haveshown a construction in which the sinker elevating cam is preferablyheld from rotary movement while the cylinder and needles are rotated. Inthese figures 1? represents the needle cylinder, .2 a, needl of thecircular series provided with a- .can'l e gaging nib 3 and 4 representsone of the inkers which is to be elevated, and which is provided withthe inwardl projecting extension 9*, which sinkers referably extendhalfway around the, cylinder, as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 4',the remaining half of the si'nkers being without such-extensions 9 as,indicated a [10%, 30 represents the sinker raising cam which. in thisinstance is carried by a verti ally disposed-rod '31, mounted in avertically movable therein, said 'r od. being pr'hvi'ded with a [collar33 and carryingstuds 34engaged by yoke 35'on the adjusting le veradapted to be operated by hand by meansof a set screw-37, or the setscrew 37 may lie omitted and the arni 36 operated directly by thepattern mechanism.- The'upper tiIJitIlOf' the cam 30 as shown injFig. GI ,e so"constructed as ,to engage the extensions 9 elev te the sinke'rsfQ-fii greater or less exadjacent nice 32 and".

of the sink'ers so provided and tent depending upon the adjustment ofthe j cam iiO. the cam being constructed to engage a plurality of saidsinkers. at least the -rsame on opposite sides of the which is in thelowest speqt to the knitting cylinder. the cam'30 is so located withrespect to the ay-o of needle knitting cam that it will operate uponthe,

same time that the knittingsinkers at the cam has drawn, down theappropriate needle tolgits lowst position. thus increasing'the ga/geof'the stitch drawn by the 'needleand ea 'ch successive needle of theseries adjacent t the sinker-s having theextehsidns, 9'. 'In d is formof the invention. the selection of ti e needles. the stitches ofwhichare ,to be iicreased in gage. is effected-by position with re;Obviously providing izo sinker-sadjacent thereto and preferably .on.

(apposite sides thereof, with'the 'sin'kershav-' mg the extensions 9f,and it will be obvious M5 that wherever the-needlesare s with sinkershaving extensions 9* toen'gage the cam 30. whether it be all oftheneedles knitting the back portion'of the stocking, needles atintervals in the 0 provided circular series, when the cam is raised highenough to engage and elevate the extensions 9', the stitches of thoseneedles so provided will be increased'in gage. It will also be obviousthat this form of the invention can be employed. in machines wherein thecylinder is stationary by rotating the cam '30 with respect to theneedle cylinder coincidentally" with the knitting cam.

I do not desire 'tobe limited to the exact details of the constructionsshown in the several: embodiments of my invention which I'have selectedfor the purpose of illustratingthe invention and shown and describedherein, as modifications may be made therein without departing from thespirit of my invention. v What I claim and desireto secure by. LettersPatent is z- 2o 1 In a circular stocking knitting machine, thecombination with a needle cylinder, a circular series of verticalreciprocating needles, of stitch forming cam mechanism for actuating allof the needles to the same extentduring tubular work, of a circularseries of sinkers located between the needles, certain of said sinkerslocated between consecutive needles of a group of needles extending aportion of the way around the circular series, being vertically movable,and means for vertically adjusting all of said consecutive verticallymovable sinkers to increase the size of, a plurality of consecutivestitches in each course of asegmental portion of thetubular fabric.

-2. In a circular stocking knitting machine, the combination with aneedle cylinder,- a circular series of vertical reciprocating needles,and stitch forming cam mechanism for actuating all of the needles to thesame extent during tubular work, of a circular series of sinkers locatedbetween the needles, all of the sinkers located between the successiveneedles for knitting the rear half of the leg, the heel and toe pockets,and .the'v sole of the foot of the stocking being vertically movable,and means for adjusting said consecutive vertically movable sinkersvertically, whereby the sole portion of the stocking foot can be madematerially longer than the fabric formed by the correspond.- ing coursesof the top of the foot to fashion thestocking to fit the foot.

3. In a circular stocking knitting machine, the combination with aneedle cylinder, a circular series of vertically reciprocating needlesand cam mechanism for actuating all of the needles to the same extentwhen knitting tubular work, of a circular by the sole is made longer andwider than.

the corresponding courses of the foot to fashion the stocking to fit thefoot.-

4. In a circular stocking knitting machine, the combination with aneedle cylinder, a circular series of vertically reciprocating needlesand cam'mechanism for actuating all of the needles to the same extentwhen knitting tubular work, of a circular series of sinkers locatedbetween the needles, the s'inkers adjacent to the successive needleswhich knit the sole of the stocking having inwardly projecting portions,and a verti cally adjustable part within the knitting cylinder, held infixed relation, circularly, with respect to the knitting cam, forengagsuccessive sinkers adjacent to the sole knitting needles, wherebythe sole'ol the stocking can be made longer and wider than correspondingcourses of the top of the foot to fashion the stocking to fit the foot.

In testimony whereof I ,affix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM E. SMITH.-

VVitnesse's:

J OEN WYQLIFF Mnu'rnn, BAYARD R. lWYLIE.

ing said inwardly projecting portions of the

